Three Republican candidates in the running for California governor have much in common.

Travis Allen, John Cox and Douglas Ose — who presented their visions for California's future Tuesday at a forum hosted by the Nevada County Republican Women, Federated — all fear the state is heading in the wrong direction, they said.

And all three believe the Grand Old Party has a chance to take the reins again in Sacramento.

Allen, a member of the State Assembly and a resident of Orange County, is passionate about his party taking over California's top seat.

"I don't just believe in fighting, I believe in winning," he said. "And it's time we win in California."

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Cox, a Chicago native and a businessman, attorney and broadcaster, has run for office numerous times. He ran for Congress, the U.S. Senate, U.S. President and Recorder of Deeds in Cook County, Illinois, but hasn't yet had a successful race.

As California's governor, Cox said he'd use his business acumen to "turn around this gory ship of a state."

Cox said he'd focus on ending government corruption, improving education, building new housing and implementing conservative ideals.

"Working together and sticking to conservative principles, we are going to reclaim the California dream for all of our children," he said.

Ose, a businessman and developer in Sacramento, was a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005.

The candidate said he's adept at reaching across party lines to solve important issues.

"What the governor of this state should properly deliver is solutions that work," he said.

Ose called public education the "civil rights issue of the 21st century," noting he'd focus on ensuring all young children are taught to read.

He said addressing mental illness is another big issue California needs to work on.

"This makes me so frustrated that we as a state can't figure out how to deal with this," he said.

Dottie Linden, president of the California Federated Republican Women's Northern Division and emcee of Tuesday's forum, encouraged the crowd to join together in electing a Republican candidate.

"If you're with us, join us," she said. "We're going to take this state from Brown to golden."